Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-12-03

ing room. Complete so far, the arrangements |
proved to be less satisfactory in reference to /
the third bedroom required for Agnes and for |
the eldest daughter of Lord Montbarry, who |
usually slept with her on their travels. The |
bed chamber on the right of the drawing |
room was already occupied by an English |
widow lady. Other bed chambers at the other |
end of the corridor were also let in every |
case There was, accordingly, no alternative |
but to place at the disposal of Agnes a COM
Portable room on the second floor. Lady
Montbarry vainly complained of this separa-
ton of one of the members Of her travelling
party from the rest The housekeeper politely |
limited that it was impossible for her to ask
other travellers to give up their rooms, She
could only express her regret, and assure Miss
Lockwood that her bed chamber on the Sec
ond floor was one of the best rooms in that
part of the hotel. IA
On the retirement of the housekeeper Lady
Montbarry noticed that Agnes seated herself
apart, feeling apparently no interest in the
question of the bedrooms Was she ill2 No;
she felt a little unnerved by the railway Jour-
ney. and that was all Hearing this, Lord
Montbarry proposed that she should 60 out
with him and try the experiment of half an
hours walk in the cool air. Agnes gladly ac-
cepted the suggestion. They directed their
steps toward the square St Mark, so as to en-
joy the breeze blowing over the lagoon 1t was
the first visit of Agnes to Venice The fasei-
nation Of the wonderful city of the waters ex-
erted its full influence over her sensitive ma
ture. The proposed half hour of the walk had
passed away and was fast expanding to half
an hour more before Lord Montbarry could
-.
dinner was waiting for them. AS they re-
turned, passing under the colonnade, neither
of them noticed a lady in deep mourning
lettering in the open space of the square. She
started as she recognized Agnes walking with
the new Lord Montbarry, hesitated for mo-
ment and then followed them, at a discreet
distance, back to the hotel.
Lady Montbarry received Agnes in high
spir with news of an event which had hap
pened in her absence.
She had not left the hotel more than ten
minutes before little note in pencil was
brought to Lady Montbarry by the house
keeper. The writer proved to be no less a
person than the widow lady who occupied the
| room on the other side of the drawing room
which her ladyship had vainly hoped to Sc
cure for Agnes. Writing under the name of
Mrs. james, the polite widow explained that
| she had heard from the housekeeper of the
disappointment experienced by Lady Mont
| barry in the matter of the rooms Mrs.
| james was quite alone; and, as long as her
bedchamber was airy and comfortable it
| mattsred nothing TO her whether she slept on
| the first or the second floor of the house. She
had accordingly much pleasure in proposing
to change rooms with Miss Lockwood. Her
luggage had already been removed. and Miss
Lockwood had only to take possession of the
room (No 13A), which was now entirely at
her disposal.
u immediately proposed to see Mrs james"
Lady Montbarry continued, "and to thank
her personally for her extreme kindness But
l was informed that she had gone out, with
out leaving word at what hour she might be
expected to return. l have written little
note of thanks, saying that We hope to have
the pleasure of personally expressing our
sense of Mrs. James courtesy tomorrow In
the meantime, Agnes, l have ordered your
boxes to be removed downstairs Go and
judge for Yourself, my dear, if that good lady
has not given up to you the prettiest room in
the house,
With these words Lady Montbarry left
| Miss Lockwood to make hasty toilet for
dinner.
The new room at once produced a favor
able impression on Agnes. The large window,
opening into a balcony, commanded an
admirable view of the canal. The decora.
tions on the walls and ceilings were carefully
copied from the exquisitely graceful designs
Of Raphael in the Vatican The massive
wardrobe possessed compartments of I'M
usual size, in which double the number Of
dresses that Agnes possessed might have con
veniently hung at full length. In the innel
corner of the room, near the head of the bed
stead, there was a recess which had beef
turned into little dressing room, and which
opened by a second door on the inferior stair
case of the hotel commonly used by the ser
wants. Noticing these aspects of the room
at glance, Agnes made the necessary chang
in her dress as quickly as possible. On he
way back to the drawing room she was ad
dressed by a chambermaid in the corridor
who asked for the key. Il will put you
room tidy for the night, miss" the woman
said, land will then bring the key back t.
you in the drawing room"
, While the chambermaid was at her work /
solitary lady lettering about the corridor O
, the second story, was watching her over tn
, haiusters After while the maid appeare,
with her pail in her hand leaving the room
by way Of the dressing room and the bac
stairs. As she passed out of sight the lady o.
, the second floor mo other, it is needless t
, add, than the countess herself ran swift
5 down the stairs, entered the bed chamber b
} the principal door and hid herself in til
empty side compartment of the wardrobe
] | no cha 1,
: work, locked the door of the dressing room o.
} the inner side, locked the principal entranc
r door on leaving the room. and returned tn
key to Agnes in the drawing room.
, The travellers were just sitting down t
t their late dinner when one of the childre
] noticed that Agnes was not wearing he
Q watch. Had she left it in her bed chamber il
: the hurry of changing her dress? She ros
/ from the table at once in search of her watch
Q Lady Montbarry advising her as she wen
Q out to see to the security of her bed chambe
n In the event of there being thieves in th
j house. Agnes found her watch forgotten
Q on the toilet table, as she had anticipated
z Before leaving the room again she acted O
r Lady MontbarTy's advice and tried the Ike
u in the lock of the dressing room door. Sh
It left the bed chamber, locking the main doc
II behind her.
II Immediately on her departure the countess
s oppressed by the confined air in the ware
n robe, ventured on stepping out of her hidin
place into the empty room.
is Entering the dressing room on tiptoe. 81
D. listened at the door until the silence outsd
Of informed her that the corridor WAS ernpt,
Upon this she unlocked the door, and, passin
is out closed it again softly, leaving it to all al
,e pearance when viewed on the inner side {
Of carefully secured as Agnes had seen it whe
d. she tried the key in the lock with her ow
re hand.
l. While the Montbarrys were still at dime
"a Henry Westwiek joined them, arriving frol
o. Milan.
D. When he entered the room, and agai
I'd when he advanced to shake hands with he
Agnes was conscious of a latent feeling whie
I'd secretly reciprocated Henry's unconceale
O. pleasure on meeting her again. For m
@ ment only she returned his look; and in tn,
an moment her own observation told her th,
Is, she had silently encouraged him to hop
n. She saw it in the sudden glow of .happine
g. which overspread his face; and she col
fusedly took refuge in the usual convention
I'd inquiries relating to the relatives whom |
f. had lsft at Milan.
Taking his place at the table, Henry gay
er a most amusing account of the position
I'd his brother Francis, between the mercenar
lis opera dancer on one side, and the unscrup
an lous manager of the French theatre ON ii